SOUTH PORTLAND — Deloris “Dot” Carey, 75, died Sept. 7 at Maine Medical Center. She was born Nov. 27, 1936, in Portland, a daughter of Alphonso R. and Helen (Burton) Valley.

Carey was the third of 19 children. She married Gene Carey Nov. 27, 1954, on her 18th birthday. They shared the next 58 years together.

Carey was a woman of strong will and passion. She faced many challenges in her life, never fearing hard work. In her younger days, Carey was renowned for her speed as a fish cutter on the Portland waterfront. Later, she turned a housecleaning hobby into a 20-employee operation, Sunshine Cleaners.

Some of the other passions in her life were her family, travel, winters in Florida, collecting and baseball.

Carey is predeceased by three sisters, Patty Saulle, Janice Anderson and Joyce Dozois; and two brothers, Alphonso Valley and George Lynds.

Carey is survived by her husband, Gene Carey; son Gene Carey II and his wife, Theresa Carey; grandson John Carey, of South Portland; two sister-in-laws, Evangeline Briggs, of South Portland, and Rosalie Bergeron, of Tempe, Ariz.; eight sisters, Florence Tenney, Helena May Desilva, Janice Cakuss, Nancy Witham, Lois Davenport, Helena Early, Julia Dennison and Clara Miner; and five brothers, Bruce Valley, Elliot Valley, John Lynds, Roy Lynds and Les Lynds.

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A funeral service was held Sept. 13 at Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel. Interment followed at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. Online condolences may be expressed at www.ctcrawford.com.

Memorial donations may be made to: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 3647, Portland, ME 04104.

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Deloris “Dot” Carey


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